Eyelid shield

ABSTRACT

A HIGHLY FLEXIBLE SHEILD SECURABLE DIRECTLY ONTO THE EYELID AND MOVING THEREWITH. WHEN THE EYES ARE CLOSED AT IN SUNBATHING THE SHEILD, BEING SUBSTANTIALLY OPAQUE SUPPLEMENTS OF THE NATURAL EYELIDS IN PROTECTING THE EYES FROM HARMFUL RAYS. COMBINED WITH AN INTEGRAL EYESHADE THE ITEM HAS A SECOND FUNCTION AND IS ALSO SUITABLE FOR USE BY OUTDOOR WORKMEN AND OTHERS EXPOSED TO BRIGHT SUNLIGHT OR OVERHEAD LIGHTING. THE EYESHADE IS A UNILATERAL FORWARDLY EXTENDING TRANSLUCENT PORTION SHADING THE EYE WHEN OPEN   D R A W I N G

Nov. 16, 1971 D. D. TOWNER, JR 3,619,815

EYELIDI SHIELD Filed 001;. 31, 1969 IN VENT(.)R.

DANIEL D. TOWNERJR- BY 14mm & xnmc United States Patent 3,619,815 EYELID SHIELD Daniel D. Towner, Jr., 4953 Auburn Drive, San Diego, Calif. 92105 Filed Oct. 31, 1969, Ser. No. 872,977

Int. Cl. A61f 9/00 US. Cl. 2-12 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A highly flexible shield securable directly onto the eyelid and moving therewith. When the eyes are closed as in sunbathing the shield, being substantially opaque supplements the natural eyelids in protecting the eyes from harmful rays. Combined with an integral eyeshade the item has a second function and is also suitable for use by outdoor workmen and others exposed to bright sunlight or overhead lighting. The eyeshade is a unilateral forwardly extending translucent portion shading the eyes when open.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Several prior art devices have been developed to cover the eyes of sunbathers and persons using various types of lamps. These devices require the eyelids to remain closed and they do not move with the eyelid. Ordinarily these prior art items are secured in part to the adjacent portions of the face. In another form an inflexible cap with a handle was proposed to be placed loosely on the closed eyelid. Discomfort from overexposure of the eyes even when the eyelids are closed, is widely recognized and the possibility of serious damage of the eyes is somewhat less generally recognized.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An eyelid shield which is made of highly flexible sheet material so that it will bend comfortably with the eyelid to which it is attached by adhesive. The shield is substantially opaque to ordinary, infrared and ultraviolet rays to protect the eye when the eyelids are closed. The opacity is accomplished by applying an opaque coating or by making the shield of inherently opaque material. An eyeshade is added unilaterally to the eyeshield for protection, along with ornamentation, of the eyes when the eyes are open and the eyeshield proper is folded and collapsed with the retracted eyelid. The shield may also be decorated for cosmetic appeal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a view of the eyelid shield as applied in use to the closed eyelid of a wearer;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the eyelid shield;

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the eyelid shield; taken on the line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an eyelid shield with an attached eyeshade; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the shield in the folded position thereof when attached to an open eyelid.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The invention disclosed and claimed herein is protective means for the eyes against discomfort and injury caused by overexposure, even when the eyes are closed, to harmful rays, particularly infrared and ultraviolet. The eyelid shield generally indicated by the numeral is dimensioned and shaped to fit an extended eyelid of a user, which means that the the dimensions may vary to suit different individuals. The material of the eyeshield 10 is highly flexible since some portion or portions of it may be required to fold and collapse with the with drawn eyelid when the eyes of the wearer are open, while remaining completely adhered to the eyelid in collapsed position. A thin plastic sheet material is conceived as suitable and this material may be inherently opaque to ordinary light, infrared and ultraviolet. Alternatively the shield may be constructed of clear plastic or the like as indicated at 12 with opacity achieved by a coating 14 of opaque material applied to the sheet material 12. In either case of a layer of adhesive 16 is applied to what may be considered the underside of the sheet material 12. This adhesive must be innocuous in every respect, neither harmful to the eyelid or eye nor diflicult to use, it being recalled that the shield must be easily secured to and removed from the eyelid at will. Adhesives now used on surgical tape may be suitable, such as synthetic copolymer adhesive which is nonirritating and pressure sensitive.

The shield is semi-ovate in plan as indicated in FIG. 2 and is domed to conform with the withdrawn eyelid when the eyelid is open, as indicated in the vertical crosssectional view in FIG. 3. The curved end portions 18-20 fit comfortably into the corners of the eye or orbital cavity and the more nearly rectilineal edge 22 lies along the eyelid immediately behind the eyelashes 24. The shield may be decorated for cosmetic appeal, particularly when the eyes are closed.

For cosmetic considerations as well as to better adapt the item to use by sportsmen, outdoor workmen and others exposed to bright sunlight or overhead lighting, especially when there is a tendency for the person to squint, an eyeshade 26 is added to the eyeshield proper described above. This eyeshade 26 is integral with the eyeshield proper and extends as an undivided flap from the front edge thereof at an angle thereto to coincide generally with the disposition of the eyelashes of the wearer. Naturally the eyeshade is disposed above the eyelashes. The eyeshade is dimensioned to correspond generally in width with the length of a wearers eyelashes and in length with the length of a wearers eyelid so that the eyeshade complements the eyelashes both cosmetically and functionally in filtering the light from above the eye. The eyeshade is preferably or can be translucent or opaque rather than transparent and may be colored for dramatic cosmetic appeal while still functioning as protection for the eyes when the eyes are open. In cross-section, the eyeshade 26 is slightly curved, like a person's eyelashes, and the front edge 28 is curved more or less parallel to the front edge 22 of the eyeshield 10.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that this invention achieves protection without the disadvantages of having to wear sun glasses, and without the rim effect of sun glasses in tanning of the face. Use of this sunshield has also been shown to avoid contraction of the pupil of the eye during overexposure with the eye shut. When the eyes are opened under these circumstances there is discomfort and inconvenience at least. It is also noted that the natural vaso-dilation of blood vessels in the eye under overexposure, that is, the attempt of the body to use more blood in the eyelid to minimize light transmission, will result in red vision and other annoying and possibly harmful effects. Use of the instant invention avoids these unwanted results of overexposure.

That which is claimed as new is:

1. An eyelid shield for use by sunbathers, sportsmen, outdoor workmen and others exposed to bright sunlight or overhead lighting, said shield comprising:

a section of sheet material, substantially semi-ovate to completely cover a closed eyelid and opaque to ordinary light, infrared and ultraviolet rays;

adhesive means on said section for removable securement thereof to the outer surface of the eyelid;

said material being highly fiexible to withdraw and. .l.. R f eu e (jit dw twmfl ,4

collapse comfortably with the eyelid into the orbital UNITED STATES PATENTS cavity when the eye is opened. 2. An eyelid shield according to claim 1 wherein said 3 10/1951 L005 2-15 X section of material has thereon a layer of material 5 2,835,259 5/ 195 s GQ d i 32 53 p q to hght- 3,266,590 8/1966 Weld t .132, 53

3. An eyelid shield according to claim 1 and including an eyeshade flap comprising a unilateral extension of the shield disposed to extend forwardly over the eyelashes of the wearer for protection of the eye when the eye is open I 10 us. (:1. X.R.

4. An eyelid shield according to claim 3 wherein said 2-15; 128132; 132-53 eyeshade is, in use, upwardly concave and downwardly v convex in cross section.

H. HAMPTON HUNTER, Primary Examiner 

